Contrary to what its flavor would indicate, True-Name Nemesis doesn’t require you to actually know your opponent’s name in order to gain protection from that player. In order to “choose a player,” you just need to give some indication of the choice you’re making as the Nemesis enters the battlefield — a simple gesture toward your opponent or verbal “You” will suffice.

But what happens if you forget?

Is it just assumed you chose your opponent? No… because True-Name Nemesis doesn’t instruct you to choose an opponent, but a player. And a legal choice for a player is yourself. While you might think it makes no strategic sense outside of a few extremely corner-case scenarios, judges can’t be in the business of assuming that players always make the most strategically sensible choices.

So is the ability just missed? No again! While players who miss triggers will often not receive the benefit of the ability, True-Name Nemesis’s first ability is not a trigger, but rather a replacement effect upon entering the battlefield. Which means that not only can you not forget about it, but your opponent must call attention to it if he or she notices it at the time. If both players have legitimately forgotten, call a judge, who will ask you to make a choice right then and there. (And since we’re allowed to give strategic advice on this blog: Don’t choose yourself!)

Today’s Tournament Tip written by Jen Wong